Hand bloweb dust gun



J. A. CHATER Er AL HAND BLOWER DUsT GUN Dec. 4, 1934.

Filed June 24, 1932 4 ShetS-Sheef, 1

w W S. Y//QM ada/M413 Dec. 4, 1934. J. A. CHA TER ET AL HAND BLOWER DUSTGUN Filed June 24, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet' 2 Dec. 4, 19311. .1. A. cHATEREr AL HAND BLOWER DUS'DGUN Filed June 24, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Dec. 4,1934. J, A CHATER Er AL 1,982,638

HAND BLOWER DUST GUN Filed June 24, 1932 4 sheets-sheez 4 A(Di- PatentedDec. 4, 1934 .PATENT' OFFICE `HAND BLOWER DUST GUN John A. Chater,Medina, Joseph B. Gary, E. Hollinger, Middleport, N.

Niagara Sprayer and'Chemical Co.

and Jacob signors to Buffalo, Y., as-

Inc., Middleport, N.Y., a. corporation Application June 24, 1932, SerialNo. 619,082

8 Clairns.

This invention relates to the distribution of powders and the like, andmore particularly to the depositing of insecticides and fungicides uponvegetation.

For a number of years it has been recognized that additional advantagesresulted from the use of insecticides and fungicides whenapplied togrowing vegetationin the form of a dust cloud,

as the material was more uniformly deposited l upon the under faces ofthe leaves and other surfaces which were normally diflicult to reach.

.Many machines have been constructed for this purpose and while some ofthem are very efficient in operation, the need for a light weight,

compact, large capacity, and eflicientV device, which could be manuallycarried and operated has been recognized; but a device completelyfulfilling these requirements nas not heretofore been produced.

The present invention is intended to fulfill the above notedrequirements, and it is an object of this invention to produce a largecapacity portable duster for hand operation which is vcompact and ofgood appearance, and whichupon operac" tion willproduce a violentlydischarged but controllable dust cloud.

It is another object of the invention to Vprovide `a dust gun whereinthe hopper for insecticides or other powders, and the blower compartmentare in substantially the same horizontal alignment; and in which thepowder is fed from the bottom of the hopper and therea'fter elevated anddelivered into the blowerv compartment from which it is discharged inthe form of a dust cloud' while in a suspended condition in thedischarged air.

The invention further contemplates the provision of means biased towarda predetermined adjusted position for controlling the amount of materialbeing discharged, which means may be instantaneously moved from theladjusted position for completely stopping the feed of the material tothereby permit the.. device to be operated as a puffer device Theinvention sun further contemp'lates theA provision of a dust gun havingthe parts thereof positioned and shaped to permit ease of carrying andease of controlling the discharge and operation of the Crank handle, andthe invention has for an object the construction of such a device in asimple and inexpensive manner.

Other objects and advantages willbe apparent from the following detaileddescription when considered in connection With the accompanying drawingswheren,

lporting'straps which may be utilized for supporting the device alsobeing illustrated,

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the device shown in Fig. 1 with a partbroken away to illustrate the material feeding and the blowingmechanisms,

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view through the blower housing takenon line 3 3 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view through the air duct housingillustrating the valve for controlling the delivery of the material,

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary transverse sectional iview through the hopper,`

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view through the gear housingillustrating the means for supplying power to and efiecting rapid rotarymotion of the fan, and v Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a portion ofthe partition casting which is arranged between the material hopper andthe blower compartment.

Now referring to-the drawings in detail:

The body of the device is indicated at 10, which body has extendingforwardly therefrom a discharge pipe 11. A nozzle 12 is arranged at theforward end of the discharge pipe and this nozzle 12, as well as thedischarge pipe 11, may be of any of the usual constructions now in use.The pipe 11 may be lengthened or shortened according to thecharactenofthe vegetation to be dusted and the nozzle may also bemodified although these parts in the Vform illustrated are efiicient formany uses.v`

A harness orstrap 'structure of any suitable construction may be usedfor supporting the device upon the operator, theharness structure shownin Fig. 1 being very effective for distributing the, weight. Theconstruction illustrated is formed of a loop 13 at each side of thedevice with the ends thereof 'attached to the dust gun body 10, a crossconnecting Strap 14 beingprovided for .securing theloops together toeffect the holding ,These cross connecting straps are adjustablyfastened to loop 13 in theirrespective positions by means of suitablebuckles.

Upon referringto Fig. 2 it will be seen that the body includes `amaterial or dust hopper which may be of any desired shapebut which forthe purpose of compactness and appearance *'s'haft -extends :through 'tobe rotated.

hopper is provided With an opening 16 in its wall, and this opening isprovided for permitting the filling of the hopper with the material tobe dusted. To provide ameans for .closing `the opening in the hopper acurved sheet 17 is formedfin a shape to conform to the cylindricalhopper Wall and this cover sheet is pivoted to the hopper adjacent astraight edge of the opening by means of a hinge 18. A pull ring 19 isprovided to per-v mit ready opening of the cover.

The hopper is closed at :one .end 'bya plate 20 which may be in theformof an aluminumcasting or may be a sheet stamped from thin steel. Atight connection is made between theflplate 20 and the cylindrical wallof the 'hopper so that dust will not waste therebetween. When a stampedsteel sheet is employed as the end 20 of the hopper, the joint .may hewelded. The opposite .end

'of the hopper is formed of an enlarged plate 2.1

which is .bolted to 4a fiange 2,2 surrounding the cylindrical wall .of.the hopper. This end of the hopper, ;like the opposite end is madetight to -assure the avoidance of waste.

Attached to the -plate 21 and offset with respect to the :centerythereof is za circular cup-shaped ;ca-sing `23 yextending into thehopper and of .sufiicient size :to accommodate a train 'of gears. Abearing 2,4 is mounted in the flat wall of the casing 23 ;at a pointslightly .below the center of the hopper, which bearing has a shaft 25passing there- .through and into the casing 23. The extension of theshaft 25 within the 'casingi has a ,large gear 26 'keyed thereon, whilethe opposite -end of the a bearing 27. mountedin plate 20 and isconstructed for the reception of -a crank handle 28 by which the shaftis adapted Within the hopper the shaft is provided with openings for thei'reception `of the ends of Vthe generally U-shaped agitator 29, theconnecting -bar of which is angularly disposed with respect to' thesha-ft -so that rotation of the shaft will cause the portion `-thereofadjacent the handle to travel in advance of the portion adjacent thegear casing. Due to this construction of the agitator it will effect theagitation of the material within the hopper to thereby keep it in afiuffy condition, and it will also tend to feed .or promote movement ofthe material in the direction of the plate 21.

An .arcuate shaped opening v30 is provided in the plate 21 adjacent thebottom of the hopper, and the opening is formed with a bordering'flange31 v'ex-tending a short .distance inwardly from the plate. The' edge. ofthis flange 31 is adapted to be engagedwith or to be -closelyapproached'by exvtensionson a series of arms 32 forming a wiper spider.33- In the 4construction shownthe `Spider ,comprises .six arms, eachradiating from a'hub 34, vanda disc 35 lies adjacent the' hub in orderthat thehub, disc and arms may the points of contact to form .a unitarystructure. The .spider has itshub 34 mounted on the shaft 25 with an.opening nthe hub in registry with that opening in the shaft 25 nearestthe plate 21,

and to assure maintenance of the spider in proper longitud'inal positionon the shaft and to cause the spider to turn with the shaft 25,'one armof the agitator '29v extends through the registering openings inthe huband shaft. This arm of the agitator is secured in position by lock Visprovided with an be welded at nuts on each side of the shaft in a mannersimilar to the securing of the other arm of the agitator. The extensionson the arms, which act as wipers, are each fiattened as at 36 andthereby a wiping of a predetermined quantity of material through `theopening 30 fis 'effected 'substantially continuously .as the Spider.isrotated It will be seen that so long as material is contained withinthe hopper the agitator Will maintain it in a loose lcondition andpromote movement thereof genv erally toward the opening 30, and that thesuccessive wipers will then deliver a predetermined nuautity of thematerial through the opening as they -wipe across the fiange 31. Apacking material 137 -is arranged between the plate 35 and 'the bearingl24 and this packing prevents dust from A-passing into the casing 23.

An air duct and spacing casing 38 preferably in the form of an aluminumcasting is mounted with a part thereof in contact with .theplate 21.This casting 3.8 is .provided with aslanting .fiange .39 from whichextends a -marginal flange 40.having openings registering with theopeningsV by vmeans of which the plate .21 and flange 22 of the hopperare -bolted together. The bolts which'pass through the plate and ythehopper flange also pass .through the openings in the marginal edge ofthe casting and secure the parts in position. Atits lower portion thecasting 38 is extended downwardly to a point where the plate 21 andmarginal .edge 40 ,are wsecured .together beyond the lower :edge of theflange 22. .'In |this ;portion the `lower edge of the flange 22 isfastenedto plate 21 by means of separate screws. The casting 38'inverted U-shaped .fiange 41, Vwhich extends at right angles to theplate 21and has its free edge contacting with said plate. At the pointof contact between the flange Aand the plate, the joint' is madesubstantially air tight so 'that the space between the flange -39 andthe fiange 40 within the casting 38 will provide 'an air duct.

A Vseries of openings are arranged in the upper portion of the flange 39lso that air-may be drawn into the air duct referred to, whereupon itpa'sses downwardly around the ends of the arms of the inverted 'U-flange41 and then upwardly .between these arms. 'In order to eliminate airresistance as far as possible the arms of the flange 40 are looped as at41'. Casting 38 is vfurther provided with an opening 42 disposed axiallywith respect to the shaft 25, which opening is in communication with afan casing 43. The casing 43, which may be in the form of an 'aluminumcasting is mounted upon the wall of the casting 38 and thejointtherebetween is made substantially air tight.

' The flange 41 of the casting V38 is cut away as `at 44 to receive aplate 45, the plate being securely ing or may be formed sepa'rately andattached thereto consistent with the preferred mode of .manufacture `Aplate or valve 46 is pivoted to 'the plate at 47, and the valve plate isprovided with an extension at 48, the extension having a lever 49attached thereto so that its end projects outwardly through a slot 50 inthe casting 38. By this construction the movement of the projectingportion of the lever 49 within the slot will cause the plate 46 to coveror partially cover the opening 30 depending upon the amount of materialintended to be delivered. An adjustable stop is provided in-thev form oflplates irc 'adapted to be drawn together upon the casting :wallsurrounding the slot, by screw means 52.

It will "b'e seen that the loosening of thescrew means will permit anadjustment of the stop 'member to any position within the slot 50,where- `upon the plates may be drawn together and the stop thereby fixedin this adjusted position. VA

coil spring 53 or other suitable means is secured to the lever 49 and tothe casing so that the spring normally biases the lever against the stopto'thereby normally bias the plate 46 in the direction lfor opening theslot 30. It Will be furthernoted that even when the stop member 51 isadjusted to a position where the slot 30 will'be partially open, it isonly necessary for the to its being temporarily closed.

` Arranged within the casing 23 are shafts 54 and 55 respectively. Theshaft 54 carries a gear 56 which meshes with the gear 26, the gear 56being formed formovement with a large gear 57. Another small gear 58 iscarried on shaft 55 and the' shaft is so mounted that gear 58 is inmeshwith gear 57. Gear 58 is fixed for rotation with a large gear 59. Ashaft 60 supports a fan 61 in position adapted for rotation within thecasing 43 and the shaft extends through a bearing62 mounted in the platel21 in axially alignment with the shaft 25. A gear 63 is mounted on theextension of the shaft 60 where it is in mesh with gear `59. Theopposite end of the 'shaft 60 is carried `in a bearing 64 mounted on theinterior of the outer wall of casing 43.

Bearings 62 and 64 are preferably in the form of ball bearings, and theyare each'provided with dust caps 65, which dust caps are constructed topermit the packing of grease therein' and in the bearings so as tolubricate the bearings and exclude the dust therefrom. Fan 61 issecurely mounted lonthe shaft 60 so that it will'be properly alignedwithin the casing 43 when rotating at high speed. From the above, itwill'be seen that the operation of the handle 28 will not only effectthe movement of theagitator and Wipers but, due to the step up gearingwithin the casing 23, it will effect the Very rapid rotatin of the fan.As the fan is of a centrifugal type, a tangentially arranged outlet 66is provided through which the fan may effect a discharge.

The casting 38 at the extreme lower portion thereof and directly belowthe slot 30 is formed with an upstanding deflector 67 so that the airwhich is drawn into the fancasing will be directed thereby and be causedto entrain such powder as is being delivered through the slot 30 as wellas any powder which might have fallen upon the deflector. w i

The fianvge formed at the circumference of wall 20, and fianges 22, 40and plate 21, are provided with a series of corresponding openings 68 topermit the attachment of the strap connections theretdfor supporting thedevice upon the operator. The openings 68 are spaced along the flangesso that the strap connections may be ladjusted therea-lcng to cause thepipe 11 and the nozzle 1'2 to assume a position which leads itself toeasy directing by the operator, depending upon theheight andcharacter ofthe ve'getation treated.

Arelatively wide plate 69 extends between the fianges and acts as a restto engage against the body of the operator, the plate presenting asmooth substantially straight surface and therefrom an upper point 4onthe flange 22 of the hopper to a point of attachment on the fan casing43, at which point the attached bracket is rivveted to the casing. Inusing the particular Vconstruction employed to illustrate the invention,the hopper 15 being eight inches in length and of a proportionatediameter, as shown, is therefore of a comparatively large capacity. Thematerial to be distributed is deposited in the hopper through theopening 16 and thecover 17 closed. Stop 51 may be adjustedto cause theopening 30 to be uncovered by the movement of the valve plate 46 to anextent suificient to permit the desired discharge of material.

When the device is supported upon the operator, the handle 70 is grippedfor steadying .the same and for directing the discharge of the material.The Crank handle 28 is loperated and this movement causes the agitator29 to fluif the material and tend to move the same in the direction ofthe plate 21. Wipers 36 move on the flange 31 and effect a continuousdischarge of the material through the opening, and as the-'walls of theopening fiare outwardly from the hopper, the material wiped into theopening falls readily therethrough. As the shaft25 is aboutthree-sixtieths of an inch below the center of the hopper, the agitatorand wipers are closest to the hopper when they reach the bottom thereof.

At the initiation of the operation involving the feeding of the materialthrough the opening 30 and into the casing 38, the fan is caused torotate. As the fan illustrated is preferably five and one-half inches indiameter, and as the train ,of gears in the casing 23 is such that thefan is rotated sixty-four revolutions to each complete revolution of thecrank handle, air at a high ve- 'locity is drawn into and dischargedfrom the said fan casing. The air is drawn' in through the openings inthe upper portion'of the casing 38,

then downwardly within the casting between -the fiange 39 and theinverted U-shaped flange 41, around the loops 41'; and then after beingdeflected and entraining the material which has been oris beingdelivered through the opening 30, the air with the material passesupwardly between the arms of the flange 41 and through the opening 42and into the fan casing 43.

The material is violently agitated with the air in the fan casing and islightly entrained in the air as it is discharged through the outlet 66.The dust ladened air is thereafter passed into the pipe 411 anddischarged through the nozzle 12 upon the vegetation, as directed by theoperator.

The quantity of `material entrained in the air maybe increased ordecreased by adjusting the stop arranged in'the slot 50. vThe adjustmentof the stop will permit the lever 49 to be drawn thereagainst in theadjusted position by the spring 53 so as to cause the valve plate tocover the slot 30 to a greater or lesser degree in accordance with theadjustment. p

When the operator desires to discontinue the feed of the materialthrough the opening 30 While passingfrom'one plant to another, or forany other reason, it is possibly` by using the thumb of thehandigrasping the handle 70', to force the extension v48 away from thestop to a position iio where the valve plate completelyA covers theopening 30. Release of the extension 48 when desired will then result inthe spring causing the extension to abut the stop-and thevalve to assumethe predetermined adjusted position. Bysuch an operation the device isused as a upuffer" dust gun.

What we claim is:

1. A dusting device comprising a hopper compartment, a fan compartmentarranged at the side thereof, the fan compartment being provided with aninlet opening in a plane above the lower portion of the hoppercompartment, means for effecting delivery of material from the hoppercompartment adjacent the lower portion thereof, and means for directinga current of air past the point of delivery of the 'material from thehopper to effect the entrainment of the-material in the air for theelevation of the delivered powder intov the fan 'compartment and thedischarge of the material therefrom.

2. A dusting devicecomprising a' hopper compartment, a fan compartmentarranged at the side thereof, a spacing compartment forming an air ductarranged between the hopper compartment and the fan compartment, saidspacing compartment being closed at its lower portion and being providedwith an opening in its upper portion, an arcuate shaped partitionprovided in the spacing compartment having its ends curved away from theopening, said spacing compartment being provided with an openingcommunicating with the fan compartment arranged within the arcuateflange, means for delivering' material from the hopper compartment intothe spacing compartment, and a fan for drawing a current of air aroundthe arcua'te ange lin the spacing compartment to entrain the materialbeing delivered from the hopper compartment and to draw the air with theentrained material into the fan compartment to be discharged therefromin the form of a dust cloud.

3. A dusting device comprising a hopper compartment, a fan compartmentdisposed in substantially the same plane therewith, an agitator withinthe hopper compartment, a train of gears in the hopper compartment,` acasing enclosing the train of gears and having a bearing in its wall forthe inner end of the agitator shaft, blower means including a shaftwithin the fan compartment, said shaft having one of the gears of thetrain of gears keyed thereto, means for delivering material from thehopper adjacent the lower part thereof, a conduit arranged between theplace of delivery of the material from the hopper and the fancompartment through which the delivered material is elevated into thefan compartment for discharge therefro'm while entrained in an airblast, and means mounted in the housing connected to the train of gearsand the agitator for actuating the train of gears and for rotating theagitator.

4. A dusting device comprising a hopper compartment, a fan compartmentand an intermediate compartment, means for delivering material from thelhopper compartment into the intermediate compartment, means fordrawing' an air current through the intermediate compartment and intothe fan compartment through a communicating 'passage, and a common meansfor effecting the operation of the air current drawing means and thematerial delivering means, said intermediate compartment being formedwith an inverted generally U-shaped partition extending from the fancompartment to the hopper compartment with the communication passagebetween the fan vcompartment and the intermediate compartmentl beanangularly disposed handle connected at one end to the fan compartmentand at the other end to -the hopper compartment, means adapted foreffecting a discharge of material from the device, means for directingthe dischargeof the material, and means for operating the dischargeeffecting means. a

6. A dusting device comprising a hopper compartment, a fan compartment,an intermediate compartment, the compartments being rigidly securedtogether, a shaft within the hopper compartment, a crank handle adaptedfor rotating the shaft, a gear casing within the hopper compartment,bearings in the wall of the gear casing and in the wall of the hopperfor the shaft, a wiping spider having a hub mounted on the shaft, anagitator having its ends extending through the shaft and securedthereto, one end of the agitatorextending through the hub of the spiderfor keying the Spider to the shaft, an

Vopening providing communication between the hopper compartment and theintermediate compartment, the legs of the Spider being angularlydisposed and fiattened to provide wipingv surfaces which consecutivelyclosely approach the rim of the arcuate opening during operation of thedevice, a train of gears in the gear casing, a fan in the fancompartment mounted on a shaft which extends'through a bearing and intothe gear casing, a gear on the fan shaft in meshwith one of the gears ofthe gear train for causing rapid rotation of the fan upon' operation ofthe crank handle, said intermediate compartment being provided with aseries of openings at the upper part thereof and with an invertedU-shaped flange extending from the hopper compartment to the fancompartment, the intermediate compartment being further provided with anopening near the center thereof for permittingcommunication with the fancompartment, a valve plate pivoted within the intermediate compartmentand adapted to be moved for closing the opening to the hoppercompartment, a lever on the lvalve plate extending through a slot in theintermediate compartment to the exterior of the device, a stop arrangedfor -adjustment within the slot, means normally biasing the leveragainst the stop but permitting movement of the lever independentlythereof, whereby operation of the crank handle will effect delivery ofmaterial into the intermediate compartment and the passage 'of an aircurrent through the intermediate compartment around the lower ends ofthe inverted U-shaped fiange so that the material will be entrained inthe air and carried upwardly between the arms of the inverted U-shapedmember and into the fan casing from which it will be discharged inthe'form of a dust cloud.

'7. A dusting device comprising a hopper compartment and a fancompartment, an intermediate compartmentintowhich material is deliveredthrough an opening from) thehopper compartment and through which air isdrawn to 'entrain the material for conveying. it through a communicatingopening into the fan compartment, said intermediate compartment beingprovided with an invertecl generally U-shaped fiange bordering thecommunicating opening between the fan compartment and the intermediatecompartment, the opening for delivering material into the intermediatecompartment being arranged adjacent the lower ends of the arms of theinverted U- shaped fiange, and a defiector adjacent the delivery openingfor effecting the directing of the incoming air so that it will bepassed over the delivery opening for entraining the material deliveredtherethrough.

8. A dusting device comprising a hopper compartment, a fan compartmentsubstantially coextensive therewith, an agitator in the hoppercompartment, a fan within the fan compartment, means for causng theoperation of the agitator, means to operate fan, means for effecting thedelivery of the material from the lower portion of the hopper, and meansfor directing a current of air past the point of delivery of thematerial from the hopper to effect the entrainment of the material inthe air for carrying substantially all the material upwardly and intothe fan casing from which it is discharged in the form of a dust cloud.

` JOHN A. CHATER.

J OSEPH B. CARY. J. E. HOLLINGER.

